How Long Do Worker Termites Live?
WouterTermites are social cockroaches, with over 2,800 species in the world. While they look similar to other social insects, they have some unique physical characteristics. There are three distinct stages in the life cycle of termites.
Depending on the species, the average life span of a worker termite is two years. Some species, such as the eastern subterranean termite, live up to fifteen or seventeen years. Drywood termite queens, on the other hand, may live up to ten or twelve years.
The main reproductive agents of termites are the queen and the king. The king and queen usually live longer than other species. Once the queen is fertilized, she begins to produce eggs around the clock. She can lay up to 18,250,000 eggs in her lifetime. As the egg-laying capacity increases, the queen will grow larger.
During the egg stage, the queen may form a secondary queen. When the primary queen dies, the secondary queen will take over the responsibility of laying eggs. The secondary queen may remain in the colony as a supplemental queen. This is to help the colony continue to thrive after the primary queen dies.
The lifespan of a termite depends on several factors, including the caste, environmental conditions, and the environment of the colony. Termite colonies can be large, with hundreds of thousands of members. However, they don’t grow very quickly. They live for many years without intervention. In fact, a healthy colony can live for decades.
